1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to gathering information and putting the information into associated containers. More particularly, the present invention relates to gathering information from an information source, such as, for example, a Web page, and storing the information in an associated online container, such as, for example, an online calendar, for the convenience of an end-user.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As more and more people use the Internet to attain information relevant to their lives, more Internet tools and utilities are created for such users to help them be better organized. More specifically, Web features of Web products have been created that link with other features of Web products. For example, the generic online address book application operates in this fashion. To with, a user opens an email letter sent to him or her within a particular email application. At that point, the user is provided the opportunity to add the sender's email address to that application's online address book that belongs to the user.
Yahoo! Inc., (Yahoo!) has an online package of applications comprising, for example, a calendar and a bookmarking application. A user can enter event dates and appointments in the calendar, and can enter links to particular Web pages in Yahoo! Bookmarks.
Similarly, 1calendar.com provides an application that calendar-enables a user's events and contact listings. A user can add events or contacts to his or her calendar/addressbook with a single click. 1calendar teaches encoding the required data once, and 1calendar translates it into the required code for each user's favorite application.
L. A. Lisle; S. L. Martin, and J. M. Mullaly, Data processing system for automatic storage of objects of an object type within a logical containment system and method therefor, U.S. Pat. No. 6,104,394 (Aug. 15, 2000) discloses a data processing system, software program and method that effectively and intuitively display a storage space of a data processing system to an end-user to allow the end-user to create a filing system which has an easily usable interface. In implementing this methodology, the user is allowed to simply request that all objects within an entire file system of a data processing system be placed in a logical container. A user sets the parameters for defining the desired characteristics of each of the objects stored within the logical container. Thus, a user is able to organize representations of desired objects in various storage locations without requiring extra steps by a user or excess memory. Furthermore, the contents of a logical container are dynamically updated in real-time to ensure that the filed information is current and accurate. The ability of a user to modify the containment settings and to have such modifications immediately reflected in the logical container rendered on a display device allows a user great flexibility in obtaining a desired graphical user interface.
All of the prior art to date is limited by a specific system environment. For example, Yahoo!'s linkages are all performed within, that is, are limited by, the Yahoo! Community. 1calendar is limited by Web calendars.
It would be advantageous to advance the level of and improve online services provided on the Web by providing functionality on the Web that allows a user to gather content from one Web information source, such as, for example, a Web page, and add the information to any online container of a corresponding type, such as, for example, a calendar, an address book, a shopping list, and the like.